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ISSUE DATE: JANUARY 2007 | |
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January 2007 - In This Issue [Cover Story] Handheld Spectrum Analyzers Scan 20 GHz Spectrum analysis is an essential measurement capability at RF and microwave frequencies, almost having the weight of a voltmeter at lower frequencies. If anything, however, it is the weight that has been left out of the latest line of portable spectrum analyzers from Anritsu Co. (www.anritsu.com). The company's "B" line of models MS2721B, MS2723B, and MS2724B Spectrum Master™ handheld analyzers are... — Jack Browne [News] RFID Innovations Deepen Market Penetration Radio-frequency identification (RFID) is widely used to identify and track objects, animals, or people. Its applications range from tagging retail goods and inventory control to enabling payment, providing secure identification, and tracking animals. Much of the popularity of RFID tags stems from the fact that they are low in cost, disposable, and easy to use. Essentially, each tag houses a miniature chip transmitter that stores an identification number. An antenna allows... — Nancy Friedrich [Design Features] Avoid Large Amplitude Errors In Spectrum Analysis Modern spectrum analyzers have improved dramatically in recent years in terms of low-frequency analog precision and a tremendous boost from digital-signal-processing (DSP) components, especially in the front-end intermediate-frequency (IF) filters. While spectrum analyzers can provide even better accuracy at RF, their accuracy at microwave frequencies has not generally been improving. Because of the demanding applications for modern spectrum analyzers, including analysis of signals... — Joe Gorin [Design Features] Evaluate Accuracy Of Portable VNAs Portable vector network analyzers (VNAs) have brought new mobility to one of the most trusted instruments in the RF/microwave industry. The new model LA19-13-02 portable analyzer from LA Techniques (www.latechniques.com), for example, features a compact footprint but full S-parameter measurement capability from 3 MHz to 3 GHz. Of course, a major consideration before acquiring a portable VNA is its accuracy and reliability. ... — Nils Nazoa , et al. [Design Features] Sigma-Delta Synthesizer Steps Across Multiple Standards Frequency synthesizers are fundamental building blocks in wireless systems. Market pressures drive higher levels of integration in support of multiple wireless standards. But each wireless standard requires a specific crystal reference frequency and specific channel spacing. Integer-N frequency synthesizers can achieve the small step sizes required in support of multiple standards, but with high phase noise. Fortunately, a sigma-delta fractional-N frequency synthesizer can combine... — Seste Dell'Aera , et al. [Product Technology] Electronically Steerable Antenna Cuts Low Profile Two-way mobile communications require tunable antennas for best performance. But mechanically tuned antennas lack the tuning speed and reliability demanded of security, public safety, and first-responder teams. Fortunately, high-frequency innovator AK Electromagnetique, Inc. (Les Coteaux, Quebec, Canada) has developed a low-profile antenna system that can scan electronically in both azimuth and elevation angles. The innovative antenna system [... — Dr. A. Kumar [Editorial] Keeping That New Year’s Resolution By the process of discarding last year's calendar, many folks feel the urge to start life anew. It's as if a new calendar might give rise to an improved personality and an enhanced set of skills. In truth, resolutions can be made at any time during the year, although most find it convenient to start on January 1st. Unfortunately, most New Year's resolutions fall by the wayside not long into the New Year. Common resolutions include making regular trips to the gym for achieving... — Jack Browne [Feedback] Website Correction THANK YOU VERY MUCH for the mention of Pulse Research Lab in your article "Finding A Filter From An Array Of Choices" (April 2006, p. 88). Unfortunately, the article lists our URL incorrectly. The correct URL is www.pulseresearchlab.com. Thank you again for your interest in our products. Steven Kan Pulse Research Lab Editor's Note: Thanks for writing, Steven. We... — Steven Kan [Feedback] Mini-Circuits' Omission DUE TO AN OVERSIGHT, the entry for Mini-Circuits was left out of the Microwaves & RF Product Data Directory 2006/07 (PDD). We sincerely apologize to Mini-Circuits and to our readers for the omission. Mini-Circuits' customers can choose from thousands of signal-processing components, including: adaptenuators; adapters; amplifiers; attenuators, digital; attenuators, fixed; attenuators, voltage-variable; bias-tees; cables, precision test; chokes, RF; DC blocks;... — The Editors of Microwaves & RF [The Front End] Big Orders Are Imminent For RFID CAMBRIDGE, ENGLAND—According to a report from Dr. Peter Harrop of IDTechEx, most of the RFID business is booming (see figure). Andrew Price, RFID manager at IATA, the airline trade association, enthuses, "In the next few years, the air industry will be tagging an even-higher proportion of its two billion bags yearly and it will use RFID in other new applications as well." This is a global phenomenon, not least in... — Compiled by John Curley [The Front End] Mainland China To Have Over 32 Million Mobile Video Users In 2008 SINGAPORE—The mobile video market in China will take off in 2008, driven by interest in the 2008 Summer Olympics to be held in Beijing. A study from ABI Research forecasts total mobile video users at more than 32 million in 2008; approximately 27 percent of these consumers will use broadcasting technology, and 73 percent will use unicast streaming technology, while a number of viewers are likely to use both. In 2006, SARFT, the Chinese State Administration of... — Compiled by John Curley [The Front End] Focus Enhancements Receives FCC Approval For UWB Modulation CAMPBELL, CA—Focus Enhancements, Inc. announced that it has received Federal Communications Commission (FCC) approval for its ultrawideband (UWB) DS-OFDM™ modulation scheme. This approval was granted without waiver restrictions that are currently being applied to the WiMedia Standard UWB technology. DS-OFDM UWB radios will be able to use all or any part of the 3.1-to-10.6-GHz spectrum allocated by the FCC. UWB rates and distances will be significantly... — Compiled by John Curley [The Front End] Kudos ST. CHARLES, IL—The overall customer performance rating for Trompeter, a producer of RF interconnect products, increased by four positions in the 2006 Bishop & Associates Connector Industry Survey. Trompeter's ranking rose to tenth overall, and gains in the new business process measures (sample delivery, turn time to new designs) drove the overall rating improvement. Trompeter's highest overall performance ratings in the survey were for technical expertise,... — Compiled by John Curley [Financial News] QUALCOMM Makes Two Acquisitions QUALCOMM, Inc., a developer of advanced wireless technologies and data solutions, has announced that it will be making acquisitions to complement its core wireless-technology offerings. QUALCOMM will acquire for cash the WLAN technology provider Airgo Networks, Inc. and the majority of RF Micro Devices' (RFMD's) Bluetooth® assets. "QUALCOMM's business strategy has always been integration, enhancing performance, and reducing time to market by offering complete... — Compiled by John Curley [Company News] Company News CONTRACTS Motorola, Inc.—Announced that it has signed a $75 million GSM network-expansion contract with M-tel, a mobile-communications operator in Nigeria. This expansion will enable M-tel to extend its coverage across Nigeria. The scope of the expansion project covers installation, commissioning, and the upgrading of sites in the cities of Benin, Ikorodu, and Yola. Motorola expects the implementation of the... — Compiled by John Curley [People] People Azimuth Systems, Inc. has named JIM IULIANO as the company's new CEO. Iuliano has been CEO for both public and private technology companies for more than a decade. Previously, Iuliano was CEO of E Ink Corp. See Associated Figure Xceive Corp.—RICH BEYER to the board of directors; continues as CEO and director of Intersil Corp. Tundra Semiconductor Corp.—TERRY NICKERSON to the board of directors;... — Compiled by John Curley [Educational Meetings] Educational Meetings SHORT COURSES TFI Seminars Technology Forecasting Mini Seminar February 5 Broadband Futures Seminar February 6 Impacts of Broadband on Asset Valuation Symposium February 7 All three seminars will be held at the Hampton Inn & Suites Downtown in Austin, TX For further information, contact: Technology Futures, Inc. 13470 Research Blvd., Bldg. C Austin, TX 78750... — Compiled by John Curley [R&D Roundup] Superstrate Antenna Suitable For Integration With MM-Wave Transceivers MILLIMETER-WAVE frequencies have long held the promise of generous bandwidths, if only the technology could be made more affordable. With that goal in mind, Thomas Zwick and researchers from the IGM Thomas J. Watson Research Center (Yorktown Heights, NY) set out to develop a broadband planar antenna for use in the 60-GHz Industrial-Scientific-Medical (ISM) band. Their design, which is suitable for integration with millimeter-wave transceiver integrated circuits (ICs), is... — Jack Browne [R&D Roundup] Multiband Antenna Links To Mobile Satellite-Communications Terminals MOBILE SATELLITE TERMINALS are of increasing interest for military applications requiring rapid deployment and changes in operational positions. In order to support the trend away from large satellite ground stations, Stephen Targonski of the Wideband Tactical Networking Group at MIT Lincoln Laboratory (Lexington, MA) designed a multiband reflector antenna for an on-the-move satellite-communications terminal. The antenna was designed to operate with a variety of modern and future... — Jack Browne [R&D Roundup] Microstrip Band- Reject Filter Makes Use Of Metamaterial Substrate METAMATERIAL SUBSTRATES feature dielectric behavior that can be altered by the application of a voltage. In order to understand how such materials might be used in the design of a band-reject filter, Zachary Thomas and a group of fellow researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in Cambridge, MA experimented with left-handed metamaterials (LHMs) to enhance the performance of a stopband filter created by the addition of open-circuit shunt stubs... — Jack Browne [Application Notes] Frequency Counter And Pulse Generator Measure Time-Varying Signals PULSE COUNTERS ARE usually used just for measuring pulses. When combined with a microwave frequency counter's inhibit input and a pulse generator, however, time-varying signals can be accurately characterized. Such characterization is the focus of a four-page white paper from Phase Matrix, Inc. (San Jose, CA) titled, "Measuring Time Varying Microwave Signals." This paper focuses on the company's 1230A/1231A VXI microwave pulse/CW counters. The inhibit input can be used to... — Nancy Friedrich [Application Notes] New Spectrum Analyzers May Revolutionize Spectrum Management ADVANCED SPECTRUM MANAGEMENT is currently evolving in terms of how it is being accomplished. Both spectrum-management and RF signal-monitoring applications have special equipment requirements, which tend to go beyond the typical radio receiver or spectrum analyzer. An application note from Tektronix, Inc. (Beaverton, OR) details how new spectrum analyzers may manage to change the face of such spectrum management. The 16-page paper is titled, "Advanced Spectrum Management with the... — Nancy Friedrich [Editor's Choice] VCXO Delivers ±0.28 ppm Frequency Stability Many Wireless and Wire-Line communications applications demand high-performance frequency stability in a miniature package. Examples include cellular infrastructure, point-to-point radios, and broadband access and test equipment. Such applications may now be served by a temperature-compensated, voltage-controlled crystal oscillator (TCVCXO). The 5 7-mm TCVCXO boasts ±0.28 ppm frequency stability over temperature and ±4.6 ppm frequency stability over all conditions (20... — Nancy Friedrich [Editor's Choice] GPS Sensors Acquire Signals Down To –155 dBm Despite the many advances of Global Positioning System (GPS) technology, it is still difficult to acquire and track signals in weak signal areas. To combat this problem, the CW45A and CW46 GPS sensors flaunt the capability to acquire satellites at signal levels down to –155 dBm with network-assisted ephemeris data. They can track satellites down to –155 dBm. These sensors are actually fully integrated modules. They include the CW25 GPS receiver, DC/DC converter,... — Nancy Friedrich [Editor's Choice] Tower-Mounted Amplifiers Boast 12-dB Gain The Advanced Wireless Services (AWS) band offers many opportunities for broadband wireless data applications. To provide fast time-to-market in the deployment of such services, a new series of tower-mounted amplifiers (TMAs) has been spawned. The dual-duplex TMAs each provide a nominal gain of 12 dB. They are offered in two distinct models: a dual AWS-band (1750 MHz/1750 MHz) variant and a dual-band AWSband/PCS-band (1750 MHz/1900 MHz) variant. The TMAs are fully compliant with... — Nancy Friedrich [Editor's Choice] Digital Synthesizers House 14-b DACs A line of direct-digital-synthesizer (DDS) integrated circuits (ICs) uses digital technology to synthesize waveforms in frequency-agile applications. These ICs flaunt on-chip, 14-b digital-to-analog converters (DACs). Impressively, the AD9910 and AD9957 achieve speeds of 1 GSample/s. With that operating speed and 14-b DAC resolution, the AD9910 DDS allows communications, defense, and instrumentation system engineers to improve dynamic performance for output frequencies to 400... — Nancy Friedrich |
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